Canadian immigration: The advantages and disadvantages of fact-finding trips?

Most of the people who emigrate to Canada do so after having visited the country at least once. Some visit before they even consider Canada as a destination, others use the waiting time to make their trips. However, there are a few people who decide to emigrate without ever having visited Canada before.

So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of fact-finding trips?

Disadvantages

For many people the option to take fact-finding trips is a difficult one. It can be expensive, especially if you have children. Flights are never cheap and seem to be getting more expensive every year, so if you are coming from Europe or Asia then your trip can be very expensive. If you cannot afford to bring your children with you, perhaps you can consider leaving them with a relative. It is not the ideal solution as you will obviously want your children to experience Canada too, but if it is your only financial choice then visiting alone is better than not visiting at all. Remember you will also have to take accommodation, car hire and meals into account.

Time is also an issue. You really need at least ten days to fully appreciate a location, or if you don’t like it, to look at other nearby locations. This means using your holiday allocation for what is most definitely not a holiday. If you plan to visit more than one location or province then a longer trip may be required, further adding to the dilemma.

Again children come into the equation as often the only time you can take them away from school long enough is during the long summer breaks, which is usually the most expensive time to travel.

The main disadvantage though has to be the fact you will be moving to a country or area that you have never been before and expect to make a new life with no prior preparation. Some people do this and have no problems, but many live to regret the decision. The advantages as you will see far outweigh any disadvantages.

Advantages

First and foremost the main advantage is physically being in the location. The only way to really get to know an area is to visit it. There really is no substitute. You can read all the books, watch all the videos and speak to people about a location, but until you are actually there you cannot possibly know if it is right for you.

The last thing you want is to wait years for your visa, emigrate then find you don’t like the area. You may then waste precious time trying to find somewhere else to live. If you can sort these fundamental things out before you emigrate it will remove a lot of stress and possible heartbreak.

There are many cases of people never having visited the place they choose to settle and soon find out that it is not the place for them. This can result in not only inconvenience of trying to find another suitable location, but it can be an expensive mistake if you have committed to things such as rental agreements or even bought a property. It can also result in severe homesickness, as you believe that the idea of going to Canada was all a big mistake and you ‘Want to go home.”

Many people in this situation forget that Canada is a huge place and they may be happy in a town down the road or even in another province. The reality of suddenly finding yourself in a strange land where you don’t know anyone only to find you hate the location can be too much for some people to see beyond their immediate depression.

If you have managed to visit your chosen location well before you land you will know if it is right for you. If it is, great, you can rest happy until your visa arrives knowing you will love your new life. If however, you visit and hate it, or it just doesn’t feel right it gives you time to research more locations and visit other areas before you have to make the final commitment. Don’t forget; if you visit one town and don’t like it use your time in Canada wisely. Jump in the car and travel to nearby locations. Just because one town isn’t right for you doesn’t mean the one thirty kilometres down the road won’t be your ideal.

You may still be trying to decide which province to settle in, let a lone which town. If you plan a trip carefully there is no reason why you cannot combine a trip to two locations, even two provinces. It will be cheaper to combine a trip to Ontario and Nova Scotia than to make two separate trips. Many flights operate between the provinces, so you should have no problem “province hopping.”

Another big advantage of taking fact-finding trips is research. You can of course do a certain amount of research from your home country, but you can do far more if you are actually there. Everyone relocating to Canada has his or her own set of requirements. This can be housing, schools, cars, recreation etc. Make a list of the things you need and want from your new life in Canada and make a point of researching these whilst on your trip. Everyone is different, but here are some ideas:

Housing

Everyone immigrating to Canada will need somewhere to live. You may decide to rent first, or buy a property straight away. You may also want some temporary accommodation when you first land whilst you are looking for more permanent accommodation.

You can research housing whilst on your trip. Firstly you can research the area itself. Drive or walk round some of the local sub-divisions or out-of-town places. Narrow down the areas you can see yourself living. Secondly you can research the real estate or rental properties in the area.

If you are planning to buy a property then you really need the help of a real estate agent or realtor. A good realtor is an invaluable resource when house hunting in Canada. A realtor will have access to all properties for sale in Canada in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Try to contact one before you visit and meet up whilst you are there. They can give you details of where the best places to live are, the average property prices and what you can expect to get for your money. Some will even take you out to view some properties even though you are not buying at that time. Remember a realtor can show you any property on MLS, not just those listed with their company.

If you are thinking of renting, take a look at the local newspapers whilst you are there. There are usually lots of rental opportunities advertised and you will get an idea of the cost involved and what to expect for your budget. If you only want short-term rental your choices will be limited, but if you want to rent for a year or more you will have more choice. If you can get in touch with potential renters whilst on your trip, you can keep in touch and once you know when you are landing you can book your accommodation direct with them. Hotels and bed and breakfasts are another short-term option, but can work out expensive by comparison.

Schools

If schools are important to you, perhaps you have children or work as a teacher, then use your trip to research them. Contact potential schools before your visit and arrange an appointment to meet with the head teacher. You can then discuss your needs and concerns and assess if this is the right school choice for you or your child.

Work

If you plan to work in Canada it is a good idea to research as much as possible before you land. You should find out if your particular role is required in the area you are thinking of settling. On your fact-finding trip you can visit local Chambers of Commerce or Job Centres to find out if certain qualifications or experience is required for your dream job. You can also try to contact potential employers before you visit and make an appointment to speak with someone about possible future opportunities. In Canada networking is the key when job hunting and if you have already made contact with someone it will make your life much easier when job hunting after landing.

If you plan to work in a regulated occupation or trade such as plumbing, nursing, electrical etc then you should make sure you have the necessary qualifications, experience etc to enable you to work in Canada. You can visit the relevant governing body to discuss these issues so you know if you will need to do further training once you land. Pre-register for free with CareerBuilder Canada via our jobs database

Recreation

Whilst on your fact-finding trip you should use some of the time to look into the recreational opportunities in the area. This can be something as simple as where the local parks are to how far to the nearest ski slope? Before you visit make a list of the things your family currently enjoys such as walking, gym membership and pub nights as well as things you want to be able to do in Canada such as skiing or skating.

Use your time in Canada to find these places and make sure that the area has all the facilities that you require and if not, how far you will have to travel to get to them.

Shopping

Even if you are not a natural shopper, your new life in Canada will entail this activity. You may need furniture for your new house, clothing to cope with the Canadian weather or new sporting activities and of course grocery shopping.

Whilst on your trip, check out where the local shops are. Is there a decent mall nearby? How far will you have to travel to get a good selection of furniture? Where are the local grocery shops and supermarkets?

Remember, you might be willing to travel fifty kilometres to buy new furniture once in a while, but you may not want to travel too far to buy weekly groceries. Is there a local convenience store for those odd essentials you sometimes run out of like milk or bread?

Research utility costs and availability

Utilities

In Canada most of the cities and towns have municipal services such as water, gas and electric. However, if you are planning on living in a more rural area or even just on the edge of a town you may not have these services.

Many Canadian properties have water supplied by a well and waste disposed of via a septic tank. Some properties require oil to be delivered to fuel heating etc. Check that the area you are thinking of living in meets your utility requirements and check costs.

The Internet can be an issue in Canada, especially in rural areas. Most major cities and town have good Internet coverage via cable, DSL etc, but more rural properties will have less Internet options. If an Internet connection is important to you then make sure you research the options available in the area you want to live. Some options can be very expensive and Internet speeds can vary greatly.

Vehicles

A vehicle of some sort will feature in your new Canadian life. Whilst in the country pick up one of the many free magazines that feature both new and used vehicles. They will give you an idea of what you can expect to pay for your future vehicle. Pop into a local dealer and discuss purchase options such as leasing. You may also get the chance to test drive a car, although some dealers will not allow this on a foreign licence, but it is worth asking. They may also offer to drive you around so at least you get an idea of how it drives even if you are not in the driving seat yourself.

Local Facilities

Whist on your trip you should also check out the tings we generally take for granted, but need to know about in or new location. Check out hospital facilities, doctors and dentists. Are you in a priority 911 area? Some areas will take longer to get emergency assistance than others. If this is important to you, if you have children for example, then get the emergency response times. These can often be found on community website, or visit the local police / ambulance station and ask.

It is sometimes difficult to get a family doctor in Canada. Most towns have local community doctors who are available to people without a family doctor. They are sometimes called out-of-hours surgeries where people who do have a doctor can visit after hours, but those without a doctor can visit anytime. Check to see if these is one in your potential location, just in case you cannot get registered with a doctor straight away.

Are there banking facilities nearby? If you plan to use a particular bank, is there a branch in your area, or are there bank machines available and are they free or is there a charge?

Are there churches, playgroups, pet supplies, child-minding services etc? Depending on your particular requirements, make sure the area you are thinking of moving to caters to your needs.

Hopefully you will see that making at least one fact-finding trip far outweighs the disadvantages of not taking one. Just make sure you are prepared before you travel and get as much done as you can in the time available to you. Remember it might be your only visit before landing for good.

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